7/1/2015

The Department of Defense (DoD) is interested in manufacturing
engineering and wants its suppliers to be world-class manufacturers.
That’s the take-away message from DoD’s adoption of the new SAE standard
AS6500, “Manufacturing Management Program.” In fact, DoD recognized the
need for a new standard and partnered with SAE International for its
development and publication. Full Article

Contributing Editor Bruce Morey

5/1/2015

The automotive industry might represent the ultimate challenge to providers of machine vision equipment used in robotic guidance and material inspection. “The automotive industry is a microcosm of the entire industrial world,” explained David Dechow, staff engineer for FANUC. “Every potential industry is represented, from raw metal to electronics to wiring to machinery and everything in between.” Machine vision—electronic imaging for inspection, process control, and automated guidance—provides unique benefits in practically every facet of the industry. Full Article

Contributing Editor Bruce Morey

4/1/2015

The long-term forecast for commercial aircraft is rosy. Boeing predicts more than 36,000 new planes will take to the skies over the next 20 years. Airbus is only slightly less optimistic, predicting over 31,000 in the same period. Those forecasts mean new challenges, as well as opportunities, for those who make a high volume of planes and their parts. Full Article

Scott Everling, Hexagon Metrology

4/1/2015

In one sense, the world of manufacturing automation has been remarkably stable and moving at a steady pace. But the definition of what constitutes automation is changing, and this new paradigm encompasses metrology solutions on the factory floor. When the task of automating inspection is placed near the point of production on the shop floor, good things start to happen. Full Article

Ron Rode, 2015 SMSC Chair, Coordinate Metrology Society

4/1/2015

The shop floor is buzzing as everyone scurries to wrap up their activities for the end of the shift. Everyone that is, except for you and your team. You are getting ready to suit up and go full throttle. Your lane is open and you have exactly 8 hours to make it to the finish line. Only you are not looking for the checkered flag. Full Article

Contributing Editor Bruce Morey

2/1/2015

Welding with lasers is a key enabler for a growing number of applications, such as lightweighting. Take, for example, tailor welded blanks (TWB), in which sheets of steel are tailor welded with different thicknesses, strengths, or coatings prior to stamping into formed parts. TWB was first introduced using lasers, and it allows designers to put thicker material where needed for strength, with thinner gages elsewhere. Full Article